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Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

The process of olfaction, also known as the sense of smell, is a sophisticated chemical response system. The specialized sensory neurons that facilitate this process, known as olfactory receptor neurons, are situated in an upper segment of the nasal cavity, known as the olfactory epithelium. Olfactory sensory neurons are bipolar, with their dendrites extending from the epithelium's apex into the mucus that lines the nasal cavity. Airborne molecules, when inhaled, traverse the olfactory...

Olfaction

Olfaction

The sense of smell is achieved through the activities of the olfactory system. It starts when an airborne odorant enters the nasal cavity and reaches olfactory epithelium (OE). The OE is protected by a thin layer of mucus, which also serves the purpose of dissolving more complex compounds into simpler chemical odorants. The size of the OE and the density of sensory neurons varies among species; in humans, the OE is only about 9-10 cm2.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

Humans detect odors with the help of specialized cells located in the upper part of the nasal cavity, called olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). ORNs possess hair-like structures called cilia, which are receptive to sensations from the inhaled air. When an odorant molecule binds to a specific receptor on the cell of the cilia, it leads to a series of events that ultimately cause the ORN to send electrical signals to the olfactory bulb in the brain through the olfactory nerves.
The olfactory...

G-Protein Gated Ion Channels

G-Protein Gated Ion Channels

GPCRs are primarily responsible for our sense of smell, taste, and vision. The binding of a sensory stimulus activates GPCR to stimulate effector proteins, many of which are ion channels in the sensory organs. GPCRs modulate the opening and closing of the target ion channels either directly by binding them, or by releasing second messengers that activate these channels. As ions move across the membrane, the membrane potential is altered, which induces an appropriate response.
Sensory organs,...

Transducer Mechanism: G Protein–Coupled Receptors

Transducer Mechanism: G Protein–Coupled Receptors

G Protein–Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) are membrane-bound receptors that transiently associate with heterotrimeric G proteins and induce an appropriate response to various stimuli. GPCRs regulate critical physiological pathways and are excellent drug targets for treating diseases such as diabetes, cancer, obesity, depression, or Alzheimer's. Nearly 35% of approved drugs implement their therapeutic effects by selectively interacting with specific GPCRs.
GPCRs are also called heptahelical, 7TM, or...

G Protein-coupled Receptors

G Protein-coupled Receptors

G Protein-Coupled Receptors or GPCRs are membrane-bound receptors that transiently associate with heterotrimeric G proteins and induce an appropriate response to sensory stimuli such as light, odors, hormones, cytokines, or neurotransmitters.
GPCRs are also called heptahelical, 7TM, or serpentine receptors, and consist of seven (H1-H7) transmembrane alpha-helices that span the bilayer to form a cylindrical core. The transmembrane helices are connected by three extracellular loops and three...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

Muscle Receptor Organs in the Crayfish Abdomen: A Student Laboratory Exercise in Proprioception

Muscle Receptor Organs in the Crayfish Abdomen: A Student Laboratory Exercise in Proprioception

Published on: November 18, 2010

Ionotropic crustacean olfactory receptors.

Elizabeth A Corey¹, Yuriy Bobkov, Kirill Ukhanov

¹Whitney Laboratory, Center for Smell and Taste, and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America. eacorey@whitney.ufl.edu

|April 11, 2013

Summary

Spiny lobsters utilize ionotropic receptors (IRs) for smell, unlike insects. These IRs are broadly expressed in olfactory neurons, suggesting a novel olfactory signaling mechanism in crustaceans.

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Extracellular Multi-Unit Recording from the Olfactory Nerve of Teleosts

Extracellular Multi-Unit Recording from the Olfactory Nerve of Teleosts

Published on: October 6, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 12, 2026

Muscle Receptor Organs in the Crayfish Abdomen: A Student Laboratory Exercise in Proprioception

Muscle Receptor Organs in the Crayfish Abdomen: A Student Laboratory Exercise in Proprioception

Published on: November 18, 2010

Extracellular Multi-Unit Recording from the Olfactory Nerve of Teleosts

Extracellular Multi-Unit Recording from the Olfactory Nerve of Teleosts

Published on: October 6, 2020

Area of Science:

Marine Biology
Neuroscience
Molecular Biology

Background:

The olfactory receptors in crustaceans, a significant arthropod group, remain poorly understood.
Olfaction is crucial for crustaceans, mediating vital behaviors like foraging and predator avoidance.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the molecular identity and expression patterns of olfactory receptors in the spiny lobster, Panulirus argus.
To determine the potential role of ionotropic receptors (IRs) in crustacean olfaction.

Main Methods:

Antibody labeling and in situ hybridization were used to confirm the expression of IR subunits in olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs).
Calcium imaging was employed to visualize ligand-specific ORN responses.
Analysis of spiny lobster olfactory tissue to identify expressed olfactory receptor types.

Main Results:

Spiny lobsters express ionotropic receptors (IRs), homologous to insect chemosensory IRs.
Two lobster IR subunits show broad expression across most, if not all, olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs).
IRs were the sole olfactory receptor type detected, indicating their primary role in olfactory signaling.

Conclusions:

Ionotropic receptors (IRs) are likely the primary mediators of olfactory signaling in spiny lobsters.
The broad expression of IRs, coupled with cell-specific expression of other subunits, suggests a complex mechanism for determining ligand sensitivity.
Crustacean IRs may function in conjunction with second messenger-mediated signaling pathways, a novel finding for this receptor type.